Plaster-of-paris bandage



Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES EDWIN A. SPIES, OF PELH.AM NEW YORK.

PLASTEB-OF-PARIS .BANDAGE.

Application filed September 24 1924. steam. 739,622.

To all'whomz't. may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. Srnis, M. D., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pelham, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Plaster-of-Paris Bandage, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a plaster of Paris bandage and has for an object the provision of an improved bandage'for use in surgical practice to support or restrain various mobile portions of the human anatomy.

More specific objects ofthe invention are to-provide a bandage economical to manufacture commercially, easy forthe surgeon to apply and one which will provide the patient with proper support combined with maximum comfort.

WVith such objects in View and others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises novel 'features of construction which will be set forth with particularity in the following description and claims appended hereto. I

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a somewhat magnified section of the cloth used in the construction of this bandage. This is a thin, loosely woven cotton cloth, gauze or scrim sized'with starch or some other sizing or stiffening agent, of about 28/32 to 42/48 mesh, weighing about 2 ounces per square yard, and prepared in standardwidths of the number of inches desired for the finished bandages. Fig. 2 is a partial view of the completed bandage.

Referring to the drawing, the basic cloth 1' is woven without a selvage by having the transverse fibers or threads (2) woven in one continuous piece, each of which turns about and around the ultimate longitudinal fibers or threads (3) so that said longitudinal threads will be held in their respective places and prevented from becoming dislodged and thereby separated from the body of the cloth. Or the cloth may be made in standard widths with a narrow selvage (4L) of from two to six threads on each margin and also with a series of longitudinal close weavings (5) of from two to six threads at regular intervals across the width of the cloth. Or it may be made in standard widths with any other similar weave for the aforementioned purpose sized in the above manner, producing a bandage cloth whose 1 inch width of, cloth.

ultimatemarginal longitudinal thread or threads cannot separate fromthe body of the cloth during handling-and whose elongation' characteristics are uniform throughout-its entire Width.

At (6) I show a thin layer of dry plaster '7 of Paris which has been ground, rubbed or otherwise forced into the meshes of the cloth so asto constitute a uniformly distributed amount of. plaster 1 throughout the bandage, amounting by weight to about 6%ounces per square yard of cloth. At (7) I show thelayers of cloth wound into the completed bandage and ready for the surgeon. The bandage .is wound at a particular tension, amounting to about 1% to 2 ounces per I make the core (8) approximately 1 in diameter.

Due to the particular cloth used, I produce a bandage free from loose marginal longitudinal threads which make the bandage exceedingly diflicultto handle and are a frequent cause of embarrassment to the operating surgeon. The loose threads also afford a difficulty in the making of plaster splints in that their attempted removal ordinarily causes the windings of thebandage to become wrinkled producing extreme discomfort to the patient when the splint is dry and moreover they add to the'difliculty of properly moulding the splint to the anatomica] part. I I 7 Due to the unifornr layer of plaster thoroughly pressed into the cloth I avoid the non-water-permeable characteristics of the bandage with too, much plaster, the non-'adhesive properties of the bandage with too little plaster, and the lumpy and uncomfortable efi'ect of the bandage combining both defects.

Due to the particular tension of-my ban-dage in the dry state, I attain the proper degree of watersaturation and avoid washing away of the plaster.

Due to the large core hole in my bandage I allow a sufficient quantity of water to enter and attack the layers from within outward during the immersion process thereby avoiding an inequality of saturation.

Having described the nature of my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1. A vplaster of Paris bandage ada t to be formed into an efficien't, comf0rtable,neat.

appearingand easily constructed anatomi cal support, for var1ous portions of the I 6 to 7 ounces per square yard of cloth and the cloth and plaster being wound into a completed roll with a tension of 1 to 3 ounces per inch width ofcloth with a core hole approximately 1 in diameter.

2. A plaster of Paris bandage adapted to be formed into an anatomical support, comprising a loosely woven cotton cloth or gauze of 28/32 to 42/48 mesh sized with starch or glue weighing 2 ounces per square yard manufactured in standard Widths of the number ofinches desired for the finished bandages and a uniformly distributed filler of plaster of Paris.

3. A plaster of Paris bandage comprising a loosely woven cloth without selvage with longitudinal close Weavings of from 2 to 6 threads at regular intervals across the width of the cloth and a uniformly distributed layer of dry plaster of Paris amounting by weight to 6% ounces per square yard oi'- cloth.

4. A plaster of Paris bandage comprising a carrying cloth over which has been deposited a uniform layer of dry plaster of Paris, the cloth and plaster being wound into a completed roll with a tension of 1 to 2 ounces per inch width of cloth.

5. A plaster of Paris bandage comprising alternate layers of carrying cloth and dry plaster of Paris, and a core hole It in diameter.

EDl/VIN A. SPIES, M. D. 

